Future Directions is a regular feature. This month we interviewed Liam Carroll, Manager Economic Development and Business Services at Darwin City Council, Northern Territory.
As Manager Economic Development and Business Services at Darwin City Council, Liam Carroll’s Local Government career spans five years. Prior to this, Liam worked for 15 years in the private sector, ranging in positions from business services, financial controller in the hospitality sector and business consultant in the tourism sector. His current position covers a broad range of responsibilities, including property management, CBD marketing, strategic planning and economic development.
Liam Carroll believes an Economic Development Officer needs to be a good leader and negotiator and someone who can communicate a diverse range of issues across all levels of government and community.
“It is also important to remain approachable and to have a lateral open mind with an attentive ear,” he said.
“If you are able to win the hearts and minds of community leaders who are willing to make change and who can make it happen – you are on to a good thing.”
Liam believes Australia has the opportunity to position itself as the leading tourism destination in the world.
“We have it all,” he said. “From pristine Tasmania, our spiritual red centre, lush tropical north, unique barrier reef, exquisite wild flowers of Western Australia and a unique opera house, to many cosmopolitan cites and outback towns. Protecting our environment is central to all of this and we need to step up to the plate and the Kyoto Protocol. We face many challenges, particularly in relation to air access, city accessibility, traffic congestion and continued recruitment and training of highly quality tourism and hospitality staff. But to become the leading tourism destination in the world, our visitors need to have an unforgettable, positive experience.”
Liam said that tourists want a unique experience and Australia has many to offer, such as its Indigenous, outback and wildlife heritage. He said key to these assets today and in the future is environmental protection.
“Global warming and the issue of water supply will dominate the thinking of the future,” he said. “It is important that we develop sustainable initiatives now, that will ensure our eco-culture remains the same in the future.”
The Northern Territory is currently gaining around 4,000 new residents each year. The State is seeing significant growth across a range of sectors in the economy, including the gas industry, minerals, defence and tourism. Liam Carroll said that with this growth, Darwin is evolving into a vibrant business hub and an exciting tourism destination for people from around the world.
“We are currently working on a waterfront project, which will transform Darwin and its connection to the harbour,” he said. “It will transform an old industrial area into a living precinct, providing more jobs for Territorians. The development will not only involve local companies during the construction phase, but will also create business for Territory firms once stage one is operational.”
The waterfront project incorporates a convention centre that will open in mid 2007. This will allow Darwin to take economic advantage of large conferences and meetings, concerts and exhibitions that the city currently misses out on as it does not have a big enough indoor facility. The remainder of the Darwin City waterfront will be progressively developed by 2015.
Liam Carroll said Darwin’s Lord Mayor, Peter Adamson, has also released his vision for the city. The vision includes a major revamp of the CBD, giving Darwin a 21st century tropical feel.
“It will provide a major boost to business and tourism in the top end and open up more opportunities that make the most of Darwin’s magnificent natural assets,” he said. “Much of Darwin is bordered by water and yet we have not taken advantage of this to the extent of other Australian cities.”
